


Adventures in Soccer

by StarlightDragon



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Children, Alternate Universe - Middle School, Alternate Universe - Sports, Best Friends, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-04
Updated: 2015-05-04
Packaged: 2018-03-29 01:04:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3876562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarlightDragon/pseuds/StarlightDragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At his parents' insistence, Castiel Novak reluctantly joins the local boys' soccer team, of which Dean Winchester is the captain. Cas still hates sports, but for some reason, soccer practice quickly becomes the highlight of his week.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Adventures in Soccer

**Author's Note:**

> One of the guys on my Quidditch team hurt his ankle during practice yesterday and I was inspired to write this story (although the ending didn't actually happen with my team (at least not to my knowledge)) and I felt like I couldn't get any homework done until I got this out of my system. It's a shameless excuse to write Dean and Cas being adorable small children and it's ridiculously fluffy, probably in contrast to the emotional upheaval I'm preparing myself for in Wednesday's episode.
> 
> While writing this I imagined Cas as eleven or so and Dean as twelve or so, but you can headcanon them as whatever age you want.

Castiel ran for the ball, trying not to put too much weight on his ankle, but also trying not to let anyone see how much pain he was in. The two teams were tied with only a few minutes to go in the game and Cas really, really wanted his team to win. It wasn’t that he was especially competitive – it didn’t actually bother him all that much whether he _personally_ won or lost – but Dean Winchester, the captain of the local soccer team, had been putting all his time and energy into the team ever since Coach Bobby had given him the position at the beginning of the season. Cas was not going to let him down by ducking out of the game now.

In the beginning, Cas hadn’t even wanted to join a sports team. His siblings were all great at sports; Michael was playing college football and Luke was set with a scholarship to join the rival university’s team next year; Anna was a running champion currently trying to beat the state record; and Gabriel had never showed any interest in organized sports but out-performed everyone in his gym class and could easily hold his own throwing a ball around the yard at family get-togethers. But Castiel had never really picked up the talent, and had always preferred staying indoors with his art things.

Still, his dad had said it would be good for him to get outside on occasion and get some exercise, so Cas had reluctantly agreed to join the soccer team a little over a year and a half ago now. He’d dreaded the first practice, and expected to dread every subsequent one as well, but that hadn’t ended up happening.

Because, yes, when he started out he was terrible at kicking the ball, even worse at keeping possession and absolutely hopeless in goal, and, yes, he felt like a liability to the entire team, but on the other hand… there was this boy.

Gabriel had laughed when Cas had hidden in his bedroom after the first practice was over, wide eyed and whispering secrets about the beautiful boy in the grade above with the green eyes and the freckles who had been so _nice_ to Cas when he’d fallen over in the mud, who had helped him up with his big strong hands and who had yelled at two other, even bigger boys in the locker rooms afterwards after they’d been talking loudly about which new kids had potential and which didn’t, and who had offered him candy and someone to wait with after he saw that Cas’s parents were late picking him up.

“Why Cassie, I didn’t expect you to be the type to start doing things you completely hate just because you fancy someone,” Gabe smirked after Cas had told him how excited he was to go back next week.

“I don’t fancy him,” Cas insisted.

“You sure?” Gabe teased. “Tell me again about his pretty eyes…”

“I don’t!” Cas sulked, and Gabe just smiled knowingly. 

Cas hated to admit that his brother was right, as the guy had a big enough head anyway, but when Cas started doing extra practice in the yard after school, stopped trying to find excuses to get out of gym class, begged his dad to ‘accidentally’ drop him off at the clubhouse half an hour early so that he could be there when Dean arrived, and saved up for two months so that he could buy Dean a signed picture of his favorite soccer player that he found on the Internet, it became even harder to deny it.

At first, it had felt like a stupid crush on an older boy who didn’t pay Cas any more attention than he did any of the other kids on the team. But as time went on, Cas had had to admit to himself that that wasn’t entirely true.

It had started when Dean had cornered Cas after practice one day, shoved an envelope in his hands and mumbled something about how he was having a party, and mostly it was just going to be kids from his school but it would be alright if Cas came too, if he wanted. Cas had been nervous about not knowing anyone else at the party, but he needn’t have worried. Dean came up to him as soon as he arrived and insisted on making Cas try every variety of pie there – which was a lot – and refused to leave him until he was absolutely sure Cas was okay and having fun playing a game with some other kids. 

It had continued when Dean had started inviting Cas back to his house after practice, because Cas had mentioned that his parents had trouble getting there on time to pick him up, and Dean said if Cas came to his house, they could come whenever they were ready. ‘Whenever they were ready’ quickly became ‘okay, Castiel, you can stay for lunch if the Winchesters don't mind’, and before long, ‘fine, you can stay for the afternoon as long as we have no plans,’ and eventually, ‘you making such a scene whenever we come to collect you is embarrassing, so you can stay the night so long as you promise to be good on Sunday.’

It was impossible for Cas to deny that Dean liked him as a friend, wanted him around even, but the one time Cas had gathered all his courage and asked Dean if he had a crush on anyone, Dean just deflected the question, looked at the ground and said crushes were stupid and he was never going to have one. Cas could understand that. Dean was already perfect; there was nobody better than Dean for him to have a crush _on_.

Despite being absolutely sure that Dean would never see him in the same way, Cas couldn't help printing out a photograph Mrs Winchester had taken of him and Dean and placing it on his nightstand, so that he could say goodnight to Dean every night before he slept when he had to sleep in his own house.

Last week, when Coach Bobby had announced the team list for the league game today, and Cas heard his own name being called, Dean had nudged him in the ribs and Cas had wondered if there hadn’t been a little bit of favoritism going on there. Dean was allowed to help with the team list, and there were definitely boys better than Cas who hadn’t been picked. He tentatively asked Dean about it after practice.

“I didn’t make him pick you, Cas. You’ve never played a league game before, I guess Bobby wanted to give you a chance,” had been Dean’s response.

“That’s stupid. What if I mess up and we lose? It’ll be my fault cause someone better than me could have played,” Cas countered.

“You won’t mess up, you’ll do great,” Dean had tried to reassure him, rubbing a hand on his back for a moment. “We can practice more this afternoon if you like.”

They had practiced that afternoon, for as long as Cas could stand until he was too tired to even see the ball, and then they’d hidden in Dean’s room and watched this hospital program on TV that Mrs Winchester said was ‘too grown-up for them’ but that neither Dean nor Cas could get enough of, until Cas fell asleep on Dean’s shoulder, exhausted. Cas had practiced every day that week too, both before and after school, doing everything he could to avoid letting the team down; letting Dean down.

“Dean thinks I can do it, so I can,” Cas had whispered to himself that morning as he was pulling on his shoes.

He’d pretended he wasn’t nervous all through warm ups, just trying not to look like an easy target to the other team. He’d managed to look all the members of the opposition in the eye as he shook their hands before the game, and in the first half he’d stayed mostly off to the side, out of the center of the action. He didn’t come into contact with the ball, but he was there, ready to back anybody up if they needed him, hoping it looked like he was doing something useful.

It was a little after half time that it happened. Kevin, one of Cas’s teammates, had the ball, but he was surrounded by a knot of other players and it would be difficult for him to keep possession for long. Cas was on the sidelines, a little further from the goal but completely alone. Kevin saw the opportunity and kicked the ball as hard as he could towards Cas, and somehow, completely unexpectedly, Cas didn’t miss. He stumbled a little and struggled to get going but a moment later he was off dribbling the ball towards the goal.

Only, in doing so he’d had to cut across the path of the group, fast catching up to him, and even though he’d tried to kick the ball away from them, he hadn’t been quick enough to stop himself tripping over another boy’s foot, sprawling on the grass with a sudden shooting pain in his ankle.

Cas felt tears stinging his eyes and forced himself not to reach out and grab his leg. He knew he’d be allowed to step out if he said something to Bobby, but now that he was here, he wanted to see this through. He didn’t want Dean to see him as the boy who couldn’t even survive one whole game without having to take a break.

He’d tried to avoid running as much as he could for the rest of the game, but now, it seemed like he didn’t have a choice. His team’s goalkeeper wasn’t even looking in the right direction, and the other team was going to score if Cas didn’t do _something._ The rest of his team had noticed what was happening and were running down the field, but Cas was so much closer, and he knew he was the only one with a decent chance of getting there in time. He kept running, wincing every time his bad foot hit the ground, speeding up all the same, and eventually drew level with the boy with the ball, snaking his foot around to send it spinning off in the opposite direction – but the other boy had too much momentum, flicking the ball with his foot and sending it right over Cas’s leg and into the goal. Their feet caught each other and the other boy, just trying to stay upright, shoved his arm into Cas’s shoulder. Cas crumpled onto the ground, his ankle folding up beneath him, finally completely useless.

The next thing Cas knew, Dean, Coach Bobby and the rest of the team were all crouching down next to him. “Castiel, are you okay?” came Bobby’s voice.

Cas nodded, and then shook his head, not really sure. “I tripped earlier. I thought it would be alright but-“ He broke off, breathing heavily as the pain suddenly got worse.

“You should have said something, that’s why we have substitutes,” Bobby chastised, and Cas nodded. He hadn't been trying to do anything wrong, he just didn't want to cause a scene.

“Can someone take him back to the clubhouse? Get him an ice pack?” Bobby sighed.

Dean volunteered immediately, crying out “I’ll do it!” and the next thing Cas knew, Dean was helping Cas to his feet. Dean’s arm slid around Cas’s waist and Cas clutched on tightly to his shoulder, feeling an intense warmth where their arms connected that was more than just the two of them working up a sweat running.

Despite how much it hurt every time his foot came into contact with the ground, the walk back to the locker room was far too short for Cas’s liking.

“I’m really sorry, Cas,” Dean told him, holding an ice pack to Cas’s foot.

Cas was still trying not to cry, and the ice was an unwelcome shock. “Why? You’re not the one who pushed me.”

“No, an’ you know I never would. But I left you on your own down that end. I should have tried to help.”

Dean was kneeling on the hard floor of the locker room, and that had to hurt something awful considering how banged up his knees were from the game. “I can hold the ice pack if your knees hurt. You can come sit with me,” Cas told him.

Dean thought about it for a moment, then made a decision. He sat himself on the bench next to Cas and carefully placed Cas’s leg over his own lap, so he could continue holding the ice pack in place. He looked proud of himself, smiling up at Cas through his eyelashes, and suddenly Cas’s ankle didn’t feel as painful as it had.

“You played really good today,” Dean said shyly without looking at Cas.

“You were better. You scored three goals. That’s amazing.”

“I think having you there was good luck.”

“Me?” Cas gaped.

Dean nodded, smiling. 

“No-one’s ever thought I was good luck before.” Cas had always been the bad luck; with his family, his friends, the team, he always felt like the one bringing everyone else down.

“You are to me,” Dean said again, and Cas really thought he sounded like he meant it.

Cas wiggled his foot in Dean’s lap, and Dean reached out a hand to hold him still. “It still hurts?”

“Yeah,” Cas screwed up his mouth, unable to deny it, no longer feeling like he had to put on a brave face for Dean. “But I don’t know what else to do about it.”

“I could kiss it better,” Dean suggested, very quietly so Cas could barely hear, and he felt his heart start beating faster, not sure if Dean was being serious. 

“Don’t be silly. That doesn’t wo-“ Cas was cut off when Dean leaned down and pressed his lips to Cas’s ankle, seemingly not caring that it was freezing cold from the ice and covered in mud from the field. Cas was convinced he could feel a spark from where Dean touched him all through his body.

“Did it help?” Dean asked, looking at Cas, unsure.

Cas nodded. “A bit. You could try again.”

“On your ankle again, or… or properly?” Dean’s voice was shaking and he sounded just as nervous as Cas was.

“You can do it properly.” Cas tried to keep his voice steady; hide how the idea of Dean kissing him made him feel, just in case Dean was messing around still. But somehow, Cas didn’t think he was.

Dean leaned closer to him. Cas’s eyes widened, suddenly able to see Dean’s face in a way he never had before, see the tiny scar above his left eyebrow from a game last season and the sunburn from today just starting to appear on the end of his nose. “I’ve never kissed anyone properly before,” Cas confessed all of a sudden.

“It’s okay. Me neither,” Dean whispered, only by this point he was so close to Cas that Cas could hear him perfectly, and then Dean kissed him. His lips pressed softly against Cas’s, and Cas forgot how to think about anything else except how good it felt to have Dean so close to him. Cas felt lightheaded, but now it had nothing to do with the pain in his ankle and everything to do with the boy who was kissing him right now.

Dean pulled away and Cas frowned, already wishing they could do it again, already not sure if he could believe it had happened.

“That was nice,” Cas said, desperately hoping Dean would agree with him and wouldn’t say it had been a terrible mistake and that he’d never do anything like that ever again.

“Yeah,” Dean muttered, blushing. “I think my mom’s going to be here soon, but… we can do that some more when we get back to my house. If you like.”

Cas beamed. “I’d like that a lot.”


End file.
